Childhood Wishes Known
by Tsuki Doriimaa
Summary: Someone close to Duo and Heero die. On college ground starts the trail of tears as Duo tell his love about the only week spent in little ol' Somerville... and of the deads last words...


~ Childhood Wishes Known ~  
  
By: Anime Redneck  
  
9-2-03 ~ 11-23-03  
  
'  
  
Disclaimer: Don't owm 'em, don't ask. Don't own "The Car" by Jeff Carson either _  
  
"~Lyrics~"  
  
\\Flashback\\  
  
~ ^_^ ~ * ~ ^_^ ~ -- long part between those, is flash back as well. ^_^'  
  
.  
  
~oOo@oOo~  
  
'  
  
Watching the wind's invisible hands playing through the tree leaves, swaying their mighty branches, a slim figure dashed across the lush green grass beneath his feet, heading for the other side of the Quadrant. His eyes never failed to take in the blooming bushes all around him, the bright flowers beacons calling out for attention.  
  
His bright lilac eyes however, were drawn to another figure swiftly making short work of the west side, where he was aiming to get to before the other left. "HEERO!!" With any luck he could catch the quick walking lad and not worry about running back to their dorm. Be damned if he was going to miss out on a ride again! He'd only been back three days and yet, somehow, managed to get lost in his memories enough to miss his rides. Heero didn't seem to mind though, he knew what was running around inside his mind, things he couldn't do well to hide or shove aside... things, that were dug up again from resent events... He was doubly glad his childhood friend, his lover, was so understanding of him in these times...  
  
Hearing someone yelling, not sure if it was indeed his name as the sounds dictated it might've been, an unruly head of darkest brown snapped up and around, scanning the area for whoever would be seeking his presence. He wasn't well liked on campus. It was something that didn't bother him overly much, he had his friends; the ones that counted, and then he had his acquaintances; just people he spoke to briefly enough to know their faces. It had taken many times of explaining on his loves part for him to understand that didn't "fear" him in the sense of the word... more so they were cautious of him. It was his looks and standoffish nature that made people keep a step or two away from him.  
  
Prussian eyes sparkled merrily as he remembered shrugging innocently (or as innocently as he could get away with) and smile a little. It didn't bother him; never had. Oh, he at times wished he had other friends, more people to be around and comfortable with... But when he truly started to think about it - on the nights alone, he realized it didn't matter much. He had his true friends who would always be right with him despite the miles that might come between them, or the hard times. They'd always be together; it was a pact between the five of them.  
  
Friends forever.  
  
Admittedly, the notion was a bit foreign to him in the beginning, having met the other three boys years after he'd known the long braided rope carrying American. He and Duo Maxwell had been childhood friends since as far back as he could force the memories to come. Always bright and rambunctious, constantly getting into some sort of trouble or another.  
  
Chuckling quietly, eyes sparking to life, Heero smiled tugging his books higher in his arms so they didn't slip away. It was in fact, that 'trouble', that had caused their meeting in the first place...  
  
.  
  
~ ^_^ ~ * ~ ^_^ ~  
  
Running through the rules for the flight simulation game his sister Relena had given him for his birthday, a young boy smirked lightly, his fingers quickly switching from his laptop to the connected joystick as the game began.  
  
It was great! He'd never had a flight game before! Always playing the Army games and one-on-one fighter games. They were all right, but nothing to hype about. Not that his little five-year-old self had much experience in hyping about many things, that, he left to his slightly loveable and annoying older sister of four years. Relena was more the type to go about telling others about the newest this or that. Heero could care less. As long as he had something to keep himself busy with - he was quite happy.  
  
Always spending his time alone, the other kids not liking him for some reason his small mind couldn't comprehend... Heero learned to do things on his own. Learned to have fun on his own; it was hard at times to have fun on his own aside from reading. Soon of learning the other kids refused to play with the 'silent idiot', his computer became his best friend, and had been, even 'til this day.  
  
That is, why on a beautiful Friday afternoon, after a full day spent in the Hell his parents liked to call "school" where he received a supple low level education... he was found sitting under the massive Oak tree, fondly nicknamed "Ol' Shady" for all of its grand cover - never minding that it was a hellova climbing tree! - playing the flight simulator on his laptop.  
  
Plowing thru the practice runs after spending a few minutes trying to figure out what controls served which purposes, young Heero soon found himself engaged in his first mission. It wasn't much, to him at least, he'd seen the news and they'd already flown this mission before. Scouting low to the ground out of radar range he was to fly into Eastern deserts to blow up some oil refineries. Blowing them up wasn't going to be problem, not to him at least, his main thought was on avoiding the incoming jets sent out on a mission to blow his small rear out of the sky! He wouldn't fail his first mission. He wouldn't!  
  
There it was, he could just see the first refinery coming into view... Now, to line up his shot... stabling out in the furious winds banging at his own jet, he watched the hairs lineup and--  
  
*DING! SMACK!* ...his legs shook from the sudden noise on a peaceful day, his finger slipped on the controls and his missile... blew up a rivers dam eighty clicks to the west of the refinery.  
  
Frowning ferociously, head snapping up as if it'd been jerked on a string, eyes of the deepest blue searching his surroundings trying to pinpoint the source of the irritating noise, which had ungracefully caused him to botch his first mission. It didn't take his eagle like sight to spot the nuisance: an innocent looking softball rolling towards him on the grounds downward slope. Innocent. Right. Mentally snorting, following where the ball had come from he saw first a small limb laying on the ground, some leaves still falling from Ol' Shady, then to the subtle dent in one of the porches tin roofing sheets. Okay... No, he couldn't say it was 'subtle'... it was a huge dent! Boy his Okasan was going to pitch a fit! Whatever she did, he did *not* do it! No way. His sister couldn't even peg him on that one. Whoever did it, must have hit a high line drive or something 'cause... snorting again as he closed down his laptop, there was no way a pop fly could have done that... or maybe it could... He'd never played the game before...  
  
Well shit! Running quickly, hoping that hadn't hit anyone - 'cause it'd really hurt like Hell! He knew! He got hit with it last summer! The small figure with trailing hair flew down the road ignoring his friend's laughter around him. The chants going on about him "getting it now" and how the woman down the street was going to "eat his little body up!" He didn't believe that crud for one minute! He'd been living in this town, this street, for all his life! As far as he knew, no kid had gone missing from anything other then natural causes known in his book. If any kid had gotten eaten; he'd know about it.  
  
Opening the screen door, carefully sticking her head out gazing about, brown sun-kissed hair glinting in the afternoon sun, Mrs. Yuy quietly wondered what the racket was. What had sounded like it was going to plummet her fine country home into the ground? Disappointedly, all her warm teal-blue eyes found was her son sitting beneath the large oak, calmly closing up his laptop.  
  
Smiling she stepped fully out onto the porch. 'Oh I just knew he'd love that game Relena had gotten for him!' Her poor little boy was lonely, though he would never admit to such a thing, being as strong as he was. But, no one could hide something like that from a mother's senses; they knew these things... just as she knew her small baby was hurting inside. He needed friends. Someone that would play with him and teach him things... Other things. Not playing on his laptop or reading books... Kid stuff... He needed more of that in his life. The only thing he did she considered normal kid behavior was climbing all thru and up into the massive tree he contently called "Ol' Shady".  
  
Giggling softly to herself she leaned over the railing. "Heero!" voice soft and warm, a light hint of questioning, "Heero darling, what was that noise?" Surely he had seen what slammed against the roof.  
  
Finishing with closing down his laptop Heero sighed quietly. His concentration was blown to Hell. His mission was shot to shit. Ohhhh his mama would crack his bottom with his O-tochan's belt if she ever heard him speaking like that! Smirking he started to rise when he heard the first tell-tail signs of the screen door opening and mentally winced, stopping his rise to look over his shoulder. Sure enough, his Okasan was coming out onto the porch. Well... he supposed that was fine enough... it was her house, she could do whatever she wanted. But he didn't do anything!   
  
Being the youngest, he'd already had his share of getting the blame put on him, thank-you-very-much!  
  
"Heero?"  
  
"Hai?" Opps... his Okasan had asked a question hadn't she? Drawing in a breath to stand, he silently pointed to the roof and waited...  
  
"Kore wa nan desu ka?!"1  
  
...and winced at her raised voice. Giving a slight shrug he pointed to the softball. Hoping. That in her shocked state she would remember that, him being a boy as he was, did not own a softball. Therefore, he could not have caused the damage. This was what he was *hoping*, not what he expected to actually happen... His Okasan had a way about forgetting things when upset. It wasn't her fault really.  
  
Sliding around a corner, hands collecting grit and rocks in his palms the small boy cursed his luck of loose gravel and hurriedly ran to where the high-pitched cry came from. That, no doubt, was where he'd find his ball. He didn't know exactly where it had landed... only that there was five other houses on that side of the street and it wouldn't be hard to find. Especially not with the yelling of some lady... That, in his line of experience, was usually a *very* good sign of where his airborne things went.  
  
Effectively spelling out... T-R-O-U-B-L-E.  
  
Which, chuckling mildly shaking his head, he noted was his middle name! Duo "Trouble" Maxwell! Well not really! Come on! It was just what the other parents always called him. Lets all forget now that he had a proper name and just call him "Trouble"... I mean, after all, that's usually what he got into anyways, so it wasn't far off from the point.  
  
Ohhh Hells bells! There was a pretty young lady standing on a lightish red stained porch giving the Look, to some poor cute boy that looked lost on what to do, and going to argue the whole way about it too. Sigh. That was his doing. He knew it. He could definitely find his ball laying around that yard somewhere, in fact... Wasn't that it by the kids feet? Welp... here goes nuttin'! Time to turn on that ol' Maxwell charm that usually got him out of half the trouble he got into!  
  
Taking a breath preparing himself for the worst, Duo swung around the huge tree to the other side startling both parties as he slid to a stop picking up his ball. Quickly noting the different features of them both, he tried remembering what his father (though adopted) had tried teaching him about other people and their ways... Now what the Hell nation were these guys for and what'd his Paw say about the right way to greet, meet and apologize to them was? Ahh Hell, why didn't he pay more attention?!  
  
'Cause it was boring that's why. Easy answer. But he needed it now.  
  
Umm... glancing from one's confused face to the other, his own looking a little weary of being in new territory without his guidebook, Duo sighed and did what he thought might be the best thing. He bowed to the lady, small apologetic smile on his cherub face. "I'm sorry! Really it's my fault! See, me and my buds were playin' B-ball over yonder, and umm... well I'm sorry... We kinda hit it and it umm... kinda... heh..."  
  
Refusing the urge to jump as her senses had wanted to perform on the swift and unexpected arrival of another young child by her son's side, Mrs. Yuy took the time to study the stranger while he seemed to gather himself on what to do, now that he had made a seeming hasty entry to their yard, for the ball her son had pointed out if she was not mistaken.  
  
He was cute. She smiled watching him fidget. His hair was like that of her sons if not a few shades lighter and looking like fire had laid its own hand throughout its strands, making it look a fiery chestnut color that trailed down to mid-back in a beautiful braid. Long bangs fell into his heart-shaped face covering striking violet eyes partially; he had a pert little upturned nose and a sweet smile on his lips. She was sure could charm any number of people. He appeared about her sons height, maybe an inch or two shorter, his overall frame looked strong and sharp, no doubt from lots of active playing around.  
  
It was then, as she finished looking over the young one, watching as he nervously twisted the white and green stained ball in his hands, that the words spoken reached her ears. He seemed nice enough, was definitely a cutie pie! Glancing up to her dented roof she smiled, studying the hit spot. Henry could easily hammer it out, and... you hardly noticed it if one didn't know where to look...  
  
Turning her attention back to the small boy in time to watch him glance at her son and back to her, her smile grew. "It is all right, young one." she assured him, "No harm has been done that cannot be fixed."  
  
Letting out a loud 'whoosh' of air Duo kindly nodded, bowed and nodded again happily, "Thank ya ma'm! Very much!" Now he could go play again! Yet, he couldn't help looking over his shoulder to the other boy as he started to leave the yard. He hadn't gone ten feet when his mind finally gave up his internal battle. It couldn't be helped. The boy just gave off vibes of curiousness and wonder, and even... even something close to being cautiously scared, but not scared. It was weird, he noticed, but... well...  
  
"Ya wanna come?"  
  
Studying the boy who suddenly appeared, keeping on ear on the conversation (if you could call it that) between his Okasan and him, he notice the boys clothes were scuffed up, torn and looked well used if not old handy downs. This was someone who knew how to play and play well, his instincts whispered to him. Something inside got a small kick of surprise watching the braided youth bow to his mother. Most kids didn't do that kinda thing... Ever. He must have a really nice Otousan to know how to act like that. Hn. Wouldn't ever tell it by how he looked though.  
  
At his Okasan's voice, he pulled himself back from staring at the long hair and the bright violet eyes to take enough notice of what was being said. Obviously his Okasan was in a very good mood - she usually was, or she liked the other boy, 'cause she was now forgiving him for the dented roof portion. And the boy was... was inviting him to play!? Blinking, then blinking again, Heero wasn't sure what to do. No one had ever asked him to play before... Glancing to his Okasan, eyes silently questioning, he waited.  
  
Kindly smiling to her startled son, not helping to hide the amused giggles, Mrs. Yuy nodded, "Run along deary. Have fun! Be home before dark now" with her fingers she motioned for him to leave his laptop with her.  
  
The boy wasn't joking? He really wanted to play with him? There didn't seem to be anything in his eyes that looked like it might've been some very rude joke that would come to light soon... And his Okasan was bidding him to go... He guessed, it couldn't hurt...  
  
Hn. Smirking slightly he trotted over to his Okasan carefully handing her his precious laptop and a hug before turning to run back to the waiting braided boy. "Sure."  
  
"Great!" a grand smile lit up Duo's face as they started walking down the drive to the street and soon back to his house. He was about to ask the boy something, about that black thing, when his manners - something he usually didn't use for most kids - kicked in, he stuck his hand out, "I'm Duo! Duo Maxwell!" he chirped happily. He had another friend!  
  
Failing to keep back the small chortle Heero smirked carefully taking the hyper ones hand, "Heero Yuy."  
  
"Great ta meetcha Heero! Now, we're plyain' b-ball ya see and we're in the..." telling Heero of their game in progress - or one that would be as soon as they returned with the runaway ball, Duo's outlook on the day was considerably brighten.  
  
He hadn't gotten in trouble. And he made a new friend!\\  
  
~ ^_^ ~ * ~ ^_^ ~  
  
'  
  
"HEEERRROO!" Was he being ignored on purpose? It was hard to tell sometimes, even with having known Heero for fifteen years. You'd believe by then, with some degree of finesse, he'd know how to read his lover to a 'T'... And by most means he did. Heero didn't hide what he felt around him any longer, had stopped that mask-wearing phase back in middle school after he learned he could count on and trust Duo with anything and certainly everything.  
  
Duo was eternally grateful for that. Many a time had he nearly driven himself to the brink of being bald trying to figure out what the Japanese was feeling at one time or another. For his part though, Duo was an excellent Heero Yuy Emotion Reader. He had passed with flying colors and only when his lover was trying to be an ass, did he have trouble reading him. But. That in and of itself was one of the ways his Japanese Engel2 adored teasing him. So, it was all good.  
  
"I didn't know Relena was attending this school" the smooth, baritone nasal voice caressed his ears like warm air, "Had I known this fact, I would not have chosen to come here."  
  
Of course this was as much a falsehood as any Duo had ever heard. Heero Yuy loved his sister nearly more then anyone else - his parents and him aside. Relena Yuy was a sweet girl. She loved everyone around her, always played the "Peacemaker" when people fought, no matter what it was over; she didn't take joy in watching others in pain. She was bright, jovial and intellectual. The only fault the American could truly find in her was the high-pitched voice she proved to have at times. Most of these times usually centered around when Heero and himself left college to visit their homes on breaks and holidays. Then... she could be sort of annoying... other then that, she was quite pleasant to be around.  
  
"Now, now..." chiding his lover, waging a finger playfully as he caught up to him, "You know that if Relena came to this school with us... We'd be stuck playing bodyguard for her!" Would they ever! Rolling his lovely violet-blue eyes Duo grinned. Heero Yuy was one protective lover and brother. Despite his lack of four years, being Relena's younger brother, he still would fight tooth and nail with any person that dared do her wrong. Duo still held pity for the last guy that dumped Relena after a forced attempt to... Well it wasn't pretty... Heero at age eleven, had put the guy in the hospital with a vicious threatening promise about what would happen, what would become missing, if the asshole ever showed foot on their property again.  
  
For Mrs. and Mr. Yuy's parts in the matter... They couldn't have been more proud of their son's protective streak and moved no such way to discipline him. In their eyes, his actions were justly justified. Duo whole heartily agreed, having been more then ready to jump in and help beat the shit out of the guy.  
  
Shaking his head, pulling himself back into the here and now, Duo smiled, leaning over to peck Heero on his silky golden cheek, "So, didja miss me?"  
  
"Hn." Smirk widening into a small smile, Heero shot his braided mate a look from the corner of his eye.  
  
Seeing the Prussian statement, hands immediately went into the air, "I know! I know! Stupid question. How could I even *ask* such a question!? It's absurd really!" then he grinned throwing an arm around the other's shoulders, "But! You know I ask 'cause I love to hear that you *did* miss me and longed to hold me tight and hear me prattle on and on about all the *wonderful* things happening back in little ol' Somerville, ne?"  
  
Snorting, one hand reaching up to tenderly run the back over Duo's creamy tanned skin; Heero smiled a little more.  
  
That question, as always, honestly did not have to be answered. There was not a time he could remember since becoming to know the true Duo Maxwell, having grown closer together with time, that he did not miss the braided bundle of energy when he was away. There was always a small part in his chest, which ached when he was away longer then a day. This time, however there was no getting around him having been gone for the week; and there was nothing he could do to get out of school to go with him. For that, Duo's protesting aside, he could never forgive himself.  
  
His bright eyes took on a sad, dull shade as he turned slightly, studying his koibito with careful eyes and thought before gently probing, "How did it go?" then mentally decking himself for that choice of questioning. "Are you well?" One day, he would stop being nervous around people... he was fine with those he knew, yet still, was unsettled around large groups of them. Silently he thanked Kami for them exiting the college grounds into the parking lot so they could leave and be alone.  
  
It was wonderful to be home... to be with his Engel again... A week away was enough to nearly rip his heart open. Someone, Wufei perhaps, would say he was weak for that - no, not even Wufei would step into joking with him in this one occasion about being weak when away from Heero... No. His heart had already been ripped once before, when he lost his mother... and now, now it had a new hole blown through it... Yes, it was by Hades own good grace he was now walking along side his lover, feeling the warmth rolling off his firm body into his own... into his heart.  
  
Tenderly rubbing his cheek against that muscled shoulder, Duo smiled shaking his head slightly. His poor Hee-chan... Even after all these years, all the time spent with his hyper active self; he wasn't comfortable in massive bodies of people. Ohh he couldn't blame him! Not really. Not when his childhood was spent being shunned for one reason or another. It didn't stop in elementary school (a school in which Duo himself did not attend). No, it kept on into their middle schooling years, and nearly ended completely in high school, when Heero (by his prodding) signed up with some of the sport clubs there. That. Seemed to teach his group of bullies a thing or two about messing with him.  
  
Beating the snot out of them never seemed to work. But joining a few school teams and soon becoming the top in those classes did the trick. Shrug. Go figure.  
  
"I'm alright, Engel" murmuring into the others ear tiredly, "I'll be fine with some rest... I'm just so tired..." he was practically leaning against the other fully, Heero having shifted his books to his other arm to hold one around his waist. Being back in school for officially three days now, had not helped the hand of unrest which seemed to keep a firm hold on his body, mind... and soul... even having had plenty of sleep ordered by Dr. Yuy himself, with a side note of bodily threat if he didn't.  
  
"Hn."  
  
Stepping off the curb, steadying Duo as he went, Heero led them over to his midnight blue GTO, opening the door quickly and escorting his love into the seat before shutting it and quickly making his way to the drivers seat. Strapping in, making sure his love was snuggly trapped as well, watching those gorgeous eyes start to droop... he turned back to the wheel, cranked her up and pulled out of the schools parking lot onto the main road and headed off to their private spot.  
  
Today was conveniently Thursday.  
  
The college they attended held half days on Fridays, and neither of them had morning classes, nor afternoons, so they had a three day weekend, and Heero knew just where to go and just what to do to calm his ailing love. He would not pretend to know what his little Shinigami was going through... In his heart, he knew but only a portion of what Duo was feeling. You see; he still had his Okasan and sister with him. Duo, never had siblings and had lost his mother, Lady Une Khushrenada at the young age of eight... His recent week of absence was due to his fathers, Treize Khushrenada's, untimely passing.  
  
Duo's only family left was his own; his Okasan and Relena, and himself... were all he had left now. No, that wasn't totally true... there was that older girl, Mariemaia? Mariemaia Khushrenada, Treize's niece from England they never saw much... Last he had heard, she was moving to the states, but that was years ago... Then they each still had Wufei, Trowa and Quatre... those three were like family to them both... yet still...  
  
Giving his head another firm shake Heero concentrated on the road. They needed to stop by the dorms, pick up a few things, and then they could head out for the weekend. If he was lucky, Duo wouldn't wake up during any of it...  
  
.  
  
~ * @ * ~  
  
'  
  
Few people knew of this little spot, where they were heading. It was out in the country, not unlike everything else around them was, but it seemed not too many people frequented this neck of the woods, so to speak. His American and himself had only stumbled upon it - literally - by accident when they were running away from an enraged wild hog that deemed it necessary to chase them after trampling into the clearing it had been snorting around.  
  
On that trip, stuck up high, perched on a nicely sized limb, he and his love learned that wild hogs have a scent as nearly high in ranking as a skunk, and the patience of a Saint. Well, that nearly of a Saint anyways. They were stuck in that damn tree all night and half the morning before the damned thing got tired of waiting and had left.  
  
The scenery on the drive up was pure Heaven.  
  
Soft rolling hills of green and gold were lit by the moons silvery light, making the vibrant color appear a metallic green; the skies had faded into dark velvet blues, purples and burnt oranges, slight graying clouds danced on the winds perfumed with the wild flowers. Massive oaks, maples, yaupon, and hickory trees flanked them on every side - some close together, others in sparse groups. At times he could glimpse shinning eyes in the forest, dark forms moving about - even saw a group of three deer standing on the side of the road, which quickly disappeared as he neared in his purring old American muscle car.  
  
"His Baby" as Duo loved to tease him. That was perfectly fine in his mind. There were precious few things in his life that he could truly call his own and his GTO was one of them. Sparkling midnight blue, three-inch lift, all terrain tires, supped up engine that he himself, along with his father before his passing, had worked on. There were four things he dearly loved in his life: his Okasan, Relena, and his mate, Duo "Trouble" Maxwell, and his car.  
  
Oh he rightly loved his closest friends - Quatre, Trowa and Wufei - as well, but... there was a noticeable difference in his family to his friends... everyone had people like that to them... And nearly everyone (that he knew anyways) had some item they loved just nearly as much as a family member. His, happened to be his car. No one touched it without his say so. No one scratched it or commented about it disrespectfully - or they died.  
  
Arriving at his destination, just inside the forest edge, stopping before a small clearing that encircled a small raised hill, Heero cut the engine.  
  
The grass winked back at him, tiny metallic-green fingers waving happily as the wind played with them, the moon's light having no interference reaching the soft sloping sides, nor the rounded top. Trees encircled this peaceful place, making it seem like a haven that the Spirits might've used ages ago... that he and his love had found not too long ago by accident. Or was it really by accident?  
  
Shaking his unruly head, the Asian youth quietly opened his door, not bothering to close it, wanting to keep his tired love sleeping until he had everything set up. With light steps he made his way towards the back, popping the trunk and retrieving one small basket and blanket, leaving the other large bundle in there 'til later. With the wanted items in hand he made his way up the hill, spreading the blanket out, setting the basket down and headed back for the car.  
  
As quietly as he could (not an easy task when dealing with heavy plastics) he drug the other bundle from the car and started setting it up some distance away on the side. Once finished, Heero headed once more for his car, this time closing his door as quietly as he was able before moving to the other side opening that door. Kneeling beside his slumbering lover, a soft smile lighting his sharp features, Heero raised one tanned hand, lightly brushing the back against his loves sweet cheek, bringing it up more to dive into the messy bangs that attempted to hide closed lids.  
  
"Koibito... wake up..." voice gentle, thumb soothing as he caressed the sensitive spot behind one perfectly shelled ear; smirking as the ear's owner groaned, turning into the touch, "Rise and shine Black Beauty."  
  
"Nnn..." moaning, one lightly glowing hand rising to bat weakly away the one teasing him, Duo's milky lids fluttered but refused to wake, loving the warmth of leather beneath him. Mmm, but his lovely kept touching, caressing him in all the purrrfect spots, effectively drawing out contented sighs.  
  
It was as one strong, supportive hand slipped behind his back that the sleepy American remembered he didn't want to wake up, hadn't wanted to sleep in the first off - and smacked his lover in the arm barking out playfully; "Verdammen Sie Ruck!!"3  
  
"Hai?" it came oh so easily and seemingly without flaw in sight. Of course, Duo mused, this could've all been for the outstanding fact that: it was perfectly planned. Thus knowing this, he knew he had missed out on something while snoozing in the beautiful car; a car which possessed a rumbling purr to sing him off into dream land, a slow, smooth, rock as ran, helping to loosen up sore, tight muscles.  
  
Okay, so what he was getting as was - Even though he did NOT want to fall asleep (wishing to be home for that), he couldn't kill his lover for letting him drift off because it was the cars fault for riding so wonderfully smooth... And in conclusion, since he couldn't "bad mouth" the car, he'd live and grin. Besides, he thought as violet eyes finally opened to look around him, they were in Heaven.  
  
"Schön..."4 The whispered word left amazed lips curving into a warm smile; eyes of violet taking in the shinning green blades of grass waving back at him, eyes twinkling watching as the small white flowers that covered the small hill like a blanket, danced in the evening winds, twirling their light peddles this way and that, throwing off the moon's light as they bent and twist playfully.  
  
Smirk transformed into a smile as deep ocean blue eyes took in the picture of relaxed joy observing his American lover gazing around "their hill" and sighed contentedly as he was carried up towards the top and set gently down. It was always amusing when he reduced his koibito into speaking his native tongue - German, that Treize had taught to him as he became older.  
  
Heero was relieved to see Duo looking more like himself and not the tired eyed young man he had been for three passing days. There had been an air of forlorn grief clinging to, hovering over, the American boy; an air his Japanese lover was all for naught on knowing how to break.   
  
Grief was not something to be broken easily. All Heero could do, he knew, was to stay by Duo's side and love him, comfort him, never leaving him. Duo had lost so much in his young life... Heero didn't wish to pressure him, or to leave him for a single moment if it was plausible. He didn't wish to somehow give the wrong impression that he was leaving the other, when he would only be gone for food, or books forgotten at the school. No. Heero was very content to stay by his koibito's side, holding him, murmuring sweet lullaby's in his native tongue to sooth the aching in his love's heart.  
  
With the last of the gear settled in his arms, Heero closed the car door and unconsciously hit the button on his key ring while lifting a knee higher to help shift the weight before depositing some at the tent, the rest being carried up to where his koibito sat, staring up into the inky black sky; most likely wondering which star his mother and father were watching down from.  
  
Easing himself down beside the braided man, Heero's dark eyes scanned over the lithe form, drinking in the steady waves of heat being emitted, inhaling the sweet smell of cinnamon, cedar and the unmistakable light musky flavor which completed his koibito's smell. Heero's nose could pick that sent up from half away across campus, so attuned to it as he was.  
  
Scooting behind the other, wrapping warm arms around the smaller, shivering form, the rumble of his accented voice washed over Duo, inquiring softly, "Would you like to talk about it?" knowing how very much it eased the troubles of his koibito when he was able to speak out about such things... This was so much more then just an 'everyday' happening... this was importantly private to his braided lover... Heero was aware that Duo's father, Treize, had become like his adoptive one, after Heero's own had passed away - and it hurt him too, to know the kind man with his gentle smiles and soft warm hands when things were bad, or they sick, hurt - was gone from them forever now... It hurt so very much...  
  
There was silence between them, a sort of sad silence swirling about them, filled with things to come that only one could tell of... when it was broken by a barely audible, "Klar..."5 from the boy wrapped in the confines of comforting arms.  
  
Sighing, snuggling deeper into those soft arms whose feeling now concealed their true strength, Duo sighed. He needed to talk about it... Gods above how he needed to tell what happened, what he was thinking, feeling! He needed to speak his heart to his Engel, to tell him... to tell him what had happened... what his father had done and said... Strange that, how people could speak from the grave. Did one know when they were going to die? Did they have some tingling feeling that seemed forbidding? Duo seriously wondered this for a few moments because... His father had written him a letter...  
  
Letting out another sigh, still confused on where to start - from what point! - and exactly what to say... It had to be right, true and honest. He wouldn't have it any other way! Hell no! But he had to choose his words carefully because... because as much as he was hurting inside from his loss... he was not the only one hurting...  
  
The arms wrapped so securely around him, holding him possessively, protectively... belonged to a hurting man as well. Treize was like a father to Heero. heh His Engel had often come running over yelling "O-TOCHAN!!" happily carrying some sort of interesting news in his pretty little head, not wanting to wait another minute to tell his "father" about it. That's the way his life was after Heero's father had died from an illness. Heero would find out something interesting or important... tell his mother and sister first before running over to their house and informing his father and himself. Others, he would come over just to talk to Treize, seeking advice or just to have a kind fatherly ear listening to him, listening to the smooth warm tones his dad had always spoken in...  
  
No. No Duo was not the only one grieving for his loss. They both had lost a father. A man who loved them equally; a man who was there ready to give any counsel, to reprimand them when they got too rowdy; a comforting force that would wrap them both in his old worn blanket of love and let them cry on his strong shoulders when they were aching inside and didn't know what else to do; didn't have anyone else to turn to. Treize was their world. He meant so much more then either could put into words...  
  
There were others that they loved - Duo knew this as he struggled to search for the words. He knew deep inside that he loved Heero's mother as much as Heero because he had lost his own at a tender age... He loved Relena like she was his own sister; Duo had tons of fun annoying and pulling pranks on the girl! Their friends, Wu-babe, Qat and Tro - he loved them also.  
  
But none of those compared to the love between rowdy boys and their ever understanding, strapping supportive walls that were known simply as: Fathers. There was... just nothing to describe how much the two of them had come to depend on and love, the joyful German man. Treize would sorely be missed - but he most certainly would not me forgotten. Ever.  
  
Opening shinning violet eyes, Duo let them trail lazily across the sky, looking for something, anything, to help start his story... They caught the flight of a Lunar Moth flying low to the ground, teasing the dancing white flowers before soaring towards the Heavens and diving down again; zooming across the skies as if the little creature owned them, happily lost in it's own little word...  
  
Watching that Lunar Moth tickled something in the back of his sorrow-ridden mind, and then Duo knew where he could start. People always said the beginning was best... But sometimes... the beginning took too long to kick-start... and sometimes... the beginning just didn't cut it.  
  
"~Boy, I'd love to have that car... I whispered to my dad~" the words came slowly, as if subconsciously thinking about them, mentally digging up the memory before speaking, "~I always heard a Mustang flies~"  
  
\\"Hey! Hey daddy! Lookit that!" a small boy pointed towards a run down looking shack, red and white paint peeling, cracking from the sun's unforgiving heat; but he was excited idly pointing to what the shack was housing. His little ten-year-old face beamed with curious joy as he watched the way the sun's light danced over the dull red surface of a four-wheeled mad machine. Little Duo grinned up at his father winking. He knew what they could do with that!\\  
  
"~We could fix it up and make it new again~"  
  
\\It would be the bestest thing ever! They could smack down a new coat of paint... Well he was sure there was lots more to do then just painting. Didn'tcha have to sand it or sumthin'? And then there was the engine... he bet that needed lotsa stuff done to it too. But still, he smiled up at his father, tugging on his hand gently, trying to silently beg without begging.\\  
  
"~All it needs, is just a little time...~"  
  
Heero vaguely remembered a day Duo had told him about seeing farmer Miller's old place and finding a car while walking around. The day was bright with warm golden light, few fluffy gray clouds skittered across the sky lazily. They had been out "stretching their legs", having a love for walking around old farm stead's, and ol' Mister Miller hadn't minded one bit - so it was their favorite place to roam.  
  
"~Dad is hardly ever home since mamma passed away...~" Duo's low tenor died down sadly, his legs which were bent at the knees fell lifelessly atop of his Engel's circling ones, "~He's always working overtime...~"  
  
\\Oh it was a nice dream to have, little Duo knew, but it might never happen. He was happy, and had friends to play with all the time, clothes and school to go to. But it left stuff hard. He played through the days after school with Billy, Jeff and Doug... and their new friend Heero! But Duo missed the time spent with his daddy Treize.  
  
Treize was a hard worker. That was his daddy! Working down at Ol' Clint Mills' sheet metal shop makin' up fences and gates and frames. Really neat stuff that when they weren't busy, Treize would let him come on down and watch him work. Duo had always been fascinated with how his father's mind worked, how he could calculate numbers of angles and then set to welding them just like he thought 'em! And how his hands were callused from the hard work, yet every night, when he came home to him, they were soft and warm on his back when he got hugged, his shoulders when getting patted for doing something right, or his hands when they'd go for their walks.\\  
  
"~I know that he cannot afford to buy that car...~" a warm smile crossed rose tiers as Duo remembered another time something glistening brightly had caught his eye as a child. What could he say? He had a eye for sparkly things. Perhaps that was one of the reasons he so loved his Engel - those mysteriously dark twinkling eyes of his...  
  
\\"Hey dad!" an older boy of twelve called out excitedly as he jumped up and down in place, one hand waving for his father to hurry up and get over there, the other jabbing at a store window. They were walking town square, just sight seeing (even if the place was like the back of their hands), pondering if there was anything they needed.  
  
Duo knew they needed groceries, but his daddy wanted to look for working tools, his were getting worn down now, some he'd had even from HIS daddy! But there was a shinning silver pellet gun in this store window, the handle like sanded oak engraved with the company's logo. It certainly had his name on it!  
  
Treize walked over smiling at his son, wondering what great wonder he had found this time. Settling a kind hand on the small shoulder, eyes blinking from his son to the window and back again having caught sight of the rifle; a sad look filtered in them. Slowly he shook his head at the inquisitive eyes awaiting some decision. Treize's heart sank when Duo's wide eyes dimmed at the shaking head. He couldn't get the gun. In different times, maybe he could... he knew he would! He loved to gift his son with things like others, Duo never asked for much, always took what he had and ran with it, never questioning why some kids had more then others. But times were hard now. It was tough trying to pull them through the dry dirt when the lands were rolling against you... his job wasn't doing so well now... and his Lady had left them both... it was hard...\\  
  
His father that day had looked so sad, ready to cry by the time he had turned for a second hopeful glance up at the tall man - it was then he caught the single silver tear sliding down his cheek unnoticed - and smiled brightly. "~Even though he'd love to make it mine...~" His father couldn't afford the gift and Duo knew that then, but he couldn't have helped trying for it. Treize still loved him after all, that's all that ever really mattered to him. The times had been hard but life was good and they lived like they always would.  
  
Smiling at the memory the Japanese boy hugged his koibito tighter, hoping to give all the support he could as that smooth voice rose higher. "~But, it's not the car that I'm needing, just the chance to be with him... I know that once these days roll past us, they will never come again~"  
  
Wasn't that how it always was? Heero mused closing his eyes. Weren't there many times in ones life in which they had a chance to do something and never did? And they knew, and then when that chance was passed up for something else, they'd never have another one quite like it? It left them wondering what it would have been like to take it, what kinds of feelings it would have stirred up inside... You were left with nothing but questions and no answers.  
  
"~So little time and we spend way too much apart... There would always be a part of us, together in that car...~" Lonely and free, a tear rolled down the smooth cheek, leaving the American's watery eyes on it's own journey... Duo had plenty more, he wouldn't care if only one tear ran away, more were sure to follow.  
  
"~I finally let go of that dream and the time we could have shared~" sniffling, trying to hold back the tears Duo turned sideways in his Engel's embrace, lying his head upon the strong chest there. "~It was a distant memory...~" No one would ever know how hard it is to push the memory away. It was only a car right? What's the problem with just forgetting it, eh? But it wasn't just a car! Not to him it wasn't. The first time glimpsing it as a child had something tingling in his veins, a rush flowing through his head and he knew... knew that it was a special car. It was meant to do things, with him. He had just known it.  
  
He'd moved away from Somerville when he was sixteen with Heero, wanting to get a place of their own. Get out of the small town and see what a bigger city was like, what kind of life they had there. Even find jobs that weren't bagging corn and stacking hay. He didn't mind those, not at all, they kept you well enough in shape... but he wanted more from his life! heh And he wasn't leaving Heero, his Japanese Engel, behind! Duo smirked, a look that appeared out of place with his tear shinned eyes - Mrs. Yuy had threatened black and blue if her boy wrote one bad word from wherever they wound up. If her boy was hurt in any way, it was coming out of Duo "Trouble" Maxwell's ass.  
  
Heero chuckled along with his koibito, picking up on memory as well. They had had some exciting times exploring their new city. Many close calls of which they did NOT write home about. There was no way in Hell he was going to speak word one about getting into fights to his sister or mother, OR Treize... All three had threatened them with some bodily harm if they didn't behave themselves! They were boys though. Fights happen! How could they ask so much from them?  
  
Listening to the quite rumbling of the chest under him caused Duo to smile a bit more. Heero's laughter was a solace for his aching soul, it was always there in hiding, waiting to strike out and lift Duo from whatever mood had him down. Heero's smiles alike had the magic to make him forget what he'd been speaking of, caught in the light shinning from his beautiful lover when he smiled, laughed, did something childish... They were rare and beautiful gifts in which Duo would swear all day long, were sent from his mother in Heaven, to keep him sane and happy, never to let him down.  
  
Smiling sadly, Duo continued in the only way he could. "~Until last fall a call came saying dad was gone, could I come quick~" It was Fall alright, the air still cool and crisp, the leaves changing but the Earth an ever vibrant green. "~He left a note for me...~" he sniffled, tears starting; but he smiled, nuzzling the chest beneath him feeling soft lips atop his head.  
  
"~Buried dad right next to mom, up on Crowley's Ridge~" Heero made a choking sound. Duo's arms snaked around his torso supportively, feeling warm wetness trailing through his locks. "~And there I said my last goodbye...~" Sitting there, in his love's arms, his muscular legs curled further around him from beneath, Duo's eyes played tricks on him through the tears. He could swear there was a white and blue envelope lying beside them on the ground... "~I opened up the note and found a set of keys...~"  
  
Suddenly turning, Duo's watery eyes gazed into teary midnight blues, wet tracks of his own trailing down Heero's tan cheeks. "D-do you know wha-what he told me, Engel?"  
  
Hand uncurling from it's position, lifting, it's callused thumb carefully wiped away the tears slowly falling from loved violet gems. Leaning forward Heero lovingly placed a kiss to the tip of that impish upturned nose and smiled as much he could with his heart tearing. "That I don't... What..." blinking away his own tears, trying to be the strong supportive love he was supposed to be, Heero tried again, "What did... did O-tochan say, koibito?"  
  
At the name - both of them - Duo managed to smile even though more tears joined their siblings sliding down to drop atop Heero's and his chest. "~'Here's your car, Son, I hope it flies...'~"  
  
There was no holding back, no trying to be strong when those words left Duo's mouth. It was not his story, it was not his childhood wish - but Heero sobbed anyway. He cried for the loss of his adoptive father, is O-tochan... He cried for the loss of a kind heart who was always there for him... a loving heart so generous, it opened up and engulfed him as if he were Treize's own... a heart that loved him. He cried mostly for the loss of Duo's father... Cried for his love's heartache... Duo had lost both his parents - they were adoptive, true, but they loved him unconditionally! He had lost his mother when he was by eight... eight! And now, at twenty-two, he had lost his father as well.  
  
Not purvey to his Engel's thoughts, having gone numb to the warm liquid trailing through his hair to slid down the side of his head, Duo forged onwards through his own aching heart, to relate what his father had to tell him... knowing it was what his Engel needed to hear as well.  
  
"~'But it's not the car that you're needing...'~" sniffling, wiping at his stinging red eyes, "~'But it's my chance to be with you'~" His father's spirit would always be with him, when he drove, watching over him. "~'I hope you understand I always, did the best that I could do'~" I understand daddy... Hid mind whispered quietly, I understand... "~'So little time and we spent way too much apart...'~"  
  
As he lifted his head to the sky, searching... his eyes caught the unthinkable sight of two stars side by side, twinkling back down at him. And Duo smiled, sagging back into the body behind him. "~'There will always be a part of us, together in that car...'~"  
  
Hugging Duo tighter Heero echoed his lover, eyes trained where violets gazed, a small smile lighting his own sharp features, seeing three stars sparkling above them both. "~'There will always be a part of us... together in that car...'~"  
  
In a week, they had both lost their father. Their hearts were raw, open and bleeding - but they would heal in time. Above them, in the stars of Heaven, were three bright stars winking down at them. Heero did not proclaim to be superstitious or believing in any religion... But tonight, he firmly believed that his Otousan, adoptive O-tochan and Duo's mother, Lady Une, were watching them from above, seated on their own stars and smiling.  
  
They weren't alone. He smiled. They might feel like everyone was leaving them that they had no one to turn to anymore, no other shoulder to cry on... But they were wrong. Their parents were watching over them from above, smiling down at them... and they had one another.  
  
They would never be alone.  
  
And some childhood wishes did become known.  
  
.  
  
~oOo~ * ~oOo~ * ~oOo~ * ~oOo~  
  
'  
  
1. "Kore wa nan desu ka?!" - What is this [that]?!  
  
2. Engel - German for 'Angel'  
  
3. Verdammen Sie Ruck - "You jerk"  
  
4. Schön - Beautiful   
  
5. Klar.. - Yeah...  
  
'  
  
heh So, you like? hehe Kinda sad, eh? Listen to it with the song, you might actually loose a few tears over it. I did. ^_^  
  
::grins:: Alright! I know, I know. Someone's going to be thinking, "Duo's adopted and still has the last name of 'Maxwell'? What the hell? ".. right?.. heh Well, way I see it, that's the name he came with and Treize and Une didn't feel it was right to change it. Loving the child was enough with his love in return... that was all they needed to know that Duo was truly their child where it counted. See? ^_^  
  
Okies, took me a long while to finally get enough kicked muse power to figure out how to finish that. Would ya believe if I said that was WAY shorter then I thought it was originally going to turn out as? ::smirks:: It's true! But, please, review and let me know how you liked it! The summary probably sucks, didn't it? I haven't wrote it yet, but I suck at writing them, so I hope it wasn't too bad. lol  
  
Y'all have a great one!!  
  
Keep it kickin'~ _ AR  
  
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